Dhoni is a leader by example, says Kirsten

Mumbai: Heaping praises on India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the outgoing national team coach Gary Kirsten said that the skipper not only leads by example and puts in maximum effort on the field but also feels it the most when the team loses.

"Dhoni is a leader by example. I have never seen a player give as much effort to every game. He leads by example. He is the 100 per cent man. I`ve never seen him lose his temper. He loves taking responsibility and when the team loses, no one feels it more than him," said Kirsten.

"He is a great leader. He is the captain for next few years, no doubt," he added.

Kirsten, who took up the coaching job with the Indian cricket with no prior experience, said he looked at creating an environment where the team was happy and for that he relied heavily on batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

"There is man-management which is the most important. You have to give options to the cricketer to cross the ropes and perform his best. It`s about understanding individuals, working with what they have got and how they can improve without changing their technique," said Kirsten.

"I wanted to create an environment where the team was happy and felt like team. Sachin for me was the leader in this way," he added.

The South African also said it would be great if Tendulkar could continue to play till 2015 World Cup but admitted that he was getting old and must now become selective in his approach.

"In 2015, he would be 42...I think that would be great. He doesn`t want to retire because he is enjoying the game. I am proud of him. But he is getting old and he would have to pick and choose his games," said Kirsten.